Toy vehicle



T. K. HILLARD April 4, 1950 TOY VEHICLE 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 28, 1948 s. a M mw ifi.)

April 1950 T. K. HILLARD v 7 2,502,843

TOY VEHICLE Filed June 28, 1948 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 I l /6 8 I: M /e A .57 z I I y L 8/ 27 /:56 2 i: 24 23 INVENTOR. 7710/1445 K HAM/1RD April 1950 I T. K. HILLARD 2,502,843

TOY VEHICLE Filed Juhe 28, 1948 s Sheets-Sheet s INVEN TOR. THOMAS A. 1,490

Patented Apr. 4, 1950 TOY VEHICLE Thomas K. Hillard, Oakland, Calif.

Continuation of application Serial No. 683,817, July 16, 1946. This application filed June 28, 1948, Serial No. 35,549

12 Claims.

This invention relates to wheeled toys of the class incapable of supporting riders and comprises a continuation of the invention shown and described in my prior application, Serial No. 683,817, filed July 16, 194.6, now forfeited.

An object of the invention is to provide a wheeled toy which similates, in miniature, an actual commercial vehicle and which is provided with simplified mechanism which duplicates the operational movements capable of being performed by the larger prototype vehicle.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved simplified four-wheel steering systern for a toy of the class described.

A further object of the invention is to provide a simple and eiiective load gripping, lifting and carrying apparatus for toy vehicles.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a toy of the character referred to which is sufficiently r-uggedly constructed to withstand the abnormally rough usage to which it will be put by the average child.

A still further object of the invention is to provide, in a toy vehicle wherein two or more of the ground-engaging wheels are pivotally mounted for steering purposes, improved means for attaching the Wheel steering spindles to the body of the vehicle.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide improved means for removably' attaching a remote control steering element to the steering mechanism of a toy of the character described.

An additional object of the invention is to provide a toy of the nature referred to in which the component parts are designed to be brought together, to form a complete functioning unit, with a minimum of assembly operations.

It is another object of the invention to provide a toy of the general class described, in which the positions of the ground-engaging wheels bound a base which is broad and long in proportion to the vertical height of the toy so as to provide sufficient inherent stability in the toy to resist any tendency of the latter to readily upset and possibly bruise or otherwise injure the person of the child playing with the toy.

The invention possesses other objects and features of advantage, some of which, with the foregoing, will be set forth in the following description of the preferred form of the invention which is illustrated in the drawings accompanying and forming part of the specification. It is to be understood, however, that variations in the showing made by the said drawings and description may be adopted within the scope of the invention as set forth in the claims.

Referring to the drawing:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of the toy vehicle of my invention.

Figure 2 is a side elevational view of the structure of Figure 1, a portion of the view being broken away so as to more clearly show the internal construction.

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view of the toy vehicle taken in the plane indicated by the line 3- 3 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a front elevational view of the toy vehicle.

- Figure 5 is a horizontal sectional view taken in the plane indicated by the line 5-5 of Figure 2.

Figure 6 is a bottom plan view of the toy vehicle.

Figure 7 is a portional perspective view showing the steering wheel and guiding rod and the interconnection therebetween.

Figure 8 is a perspective view of the lower portion of one of the carriers showing a modified type of axle carried thereby.

Figure 9 is a perspective view of a wheel bush ing employed with the modified type of axle illus-' trated in Figure 8.

Figure 10 is a perspective view of the releasing key for the wheel .bushing'of Figure 9.

In detail, i have chosen for the purpose of illustrating my invention, a load-carrying vehicle of the lumber carrier type which is characterized by having each of its four Wheels steerable and which is designed to straddle and pick up a load, such as stacked .lumber or other articles, previously arranged on a special platform or rack called a pallet which is v(familiarly associated with this type of vehicle. The main body of the vehicle is preferably formed as an integral unit which may be pressure molded of metal or any of the moldable materials generally classified and known in the art as plastics. The uppermost portion of the vehicle body comprises the :operators section defined by a horizontal substantially rectangular platform ll which carries contoured-and raised portions representing a @motor hood 1.2,, a cowl and dashboard l3, a'drivers-seat M, a transmission housing 1-6 and, near the respective ends of the platform, oppositely extending drive shaft housings ll. The aforementioned elements :co'm prise the necessary decorative components of the toy upper structure and may be elaborated uponor augmented by other operating gear as desired.

Means is provided for supporting an operative steering gear and is here shown as comprising a.

bearing [8 or similar projection which is conveniently formed as an integral portion of the dashboard l3 and which is provided with an axially vertical or inclined bore l9 in which a rotatable steering shaft 2| is journaled. The upper end of the steering shaft 2| carries a steering wheel 22 and secured to the lower end of the shaft, which preferably projects downwardly beyond the bottom surface of the platform II, is a rotor, here shown a a substantially semi-circular disk 23, forming part of the operating gear for steering the vehicle wheels which will be presently explained. If desired, a draw bar 24 having one end secured in any suitable manner to the disk 23 or the shaft 2| and swingable upon rotary movement of the latter, may be provided and arranged so that its distal end projects beyond the forward end of the platform; Also, if desired, the distal end of the draw bar may be provided with a hook 26 or similar element to which a suitable cord may be attached which will provide for auto-, matic steering of the vehicle as the latter is towed along behind the user.

Arranged adjacent each corner of the platform H is a running wheel structure each of which is a duplicate of the other it being necessary therefore to describe but one of the structures in specific detail. Formed preferably as integral parts of the platform and depending from the aforesaid corners thereof are axially vertical bosses 21 each of which is provided with an axially extending bore 28 preferably terminating short of the upper surface of the platform. If desired, to increase structural rigidity of the bosses and the platform, ribs 29 may be provided formed preferably integrally therewith and extending longitudinally of the platform along the opposite sides thereof. Although I have shown the platform, bosses and ribs formed as an integral unit, the latter members may be provided, if desired, as integral units which may be attached, by screws or otherwise, to a separate platform unit in a manner which will be apparent to the average person skilled in the art. The axially bored bosses 21, above described, thus provide four pivot recesses at the respective corners of the platform. Each of the bosses 21, in the bore 28 thereof, journals an axially vertical spindle 3| .to the lower end of which is suitably attached a carrier 32 having secured thereto an axially horizontal axle 33 which normally extends rectangularly outwardly with respect to the longitudinal axis of the toy. A suitable wheel 34, here shown as comprisin a molded rubber unit, is journaled on the axle 33 and is retained thereon in any desirable manner. As an example of mounting means for the wheels 34 I have shown the axles 33'as having at their outer ends an enlarged head portion 36 overlying the exterior-surface of the wheel bordering the bore thereof, and being provided at their inner ends with a diametrically reduced integral stud portion 3'! sized to effect a force fit connection in a recess 38 bored into or through the associated carrier 32.

The above described structure provides for permanent attachment of the wheels 34 to the carriers 32. However it may be desirable, due to accidental breakage of one or more of the wheels, toeffect ready replacement thereof without requiring that the toy be brought to a shop having tools' and other facilities for performing such work. In Figures 8 to inclusive I have illustrated an axle and wheel mounting designed" to effect secure attachment of the associated wheel but to permit ready detachment of the latter 4 should the latter action be necessary. Here the axle 33 is provided with a slot 39 extending diametrically therethrough and from its distal end to substantially the plane of intersection thereof with the face of the carrier 32. Transverse chordal notches 4|, contiguous with the face of the carrier, are provided at diametrically opposed points on the axle and intersect the slot 39. A tubular bushing 42 is provided, having an internal bore 43 of slightly larger diameter than that of the axle, so that the bushing will readily slide thereover. The bushing is further provided at one end with a flanged head 44 and at the other end with spring fingers 46. The fingers 48 are formed, preferably, of integral portions of the bushing and are defined by parallel slots 41 cut into and extending longitudinally of th bushing,

the free ends of the fingers being at the end of the bushing opposite the flanged head 44. Integral end portions of the fingers 46 are bent radially inwardly of the bushing to form opposed tabs 48. The slots 4'! at the sides of each finger are spaced sufficiently apart so as to provide a finger and its tab which are considerably wider than the slot 39 in the axle. The wheel 34 in this case is somewhat modified from that employed with the fixed axle construction being provided with a central bore 49 into which the bushing may slidably fit and further being provided with a counterbore 5| which, when the bushing is in place, overlies the fingers and provides operational clearance therefor.

The wheel is mounted on the axle by first inserting the bushing 42 into the wheel bore 49 so that the flanged head 44 engages the face of the wheel opposite the counterbore 5|. The bushing is then aligned with and pressed against the outer end of the axle whereupon the chamfered surface 52 provided at th axle end will engage and spread the finger tabs, the latter then slidin along the surface of the axle and subsequently snap into the notches 4| as the flexed fingers recoil to their unstressed positions. This will lock the bushing and the wheel on the axle but will allow the wheel to freely rotate on the bushing. The structure provides the advantage of preventing removal of the wheel even when conventional tools are used, and this will lessen the chances of the toy becoming inoperative due to absence of one or more of the wheels which may hav become detached and lost.

It is relatively easy, however, with the proper instrument, to remove the wheel, I provide a special key 53, shown in Figure 10, which is slightly thinner than the slot 39 and is narrow enough to slide axially of the bushing 42 within the bore 43 of the latter. The end of the key is provided with inclined surfaces 54 which, as the key is moved along and within the bushing, will engage the tabs 48 and spread them apart radially of the bushing so that the wheel and bushing may be slid axially of and from the axle.

Suitable means is provided for releasably connecting the spindles 3| in their respective journaling bores 28, the said connection, in the interests of speedy assembly and easy replacement of parts, being efiected by providing, in the peripheral surface of each boss 2! where it joins the surface of the rib 29, a longitudinally extending slot 56 which intersects a notch 51 positioned in and extending transaxially of the boss at a point below the upper end of the bore 28 and which opens at the lower end of the boss. Secured to the upper end portion of each spindle 3i and extending radially therefrom is a lever -58 which possesses lateral width slightly less than that of the slot 55 and vertical thickness slightly less than the vertical width of the notch 51. In assembling the apparatus, the spindle 3| is brought into alignment with th lower end of the bore 28 and with the lever 58 in registry with the slot 56. The spindle is then moved axially upwardly into the bore 28, the lever 58 thereupon entering and moving along the slot 56. When the spindle has moved as far as it will go or until the upper surface of the carrier 32 impinges against the lower end of the boss H, the lever 58 will have come into registry with the notch 57 so that, upon rotational movement of the spindle, the lever will enter the notch and, While it permits limited rotational movement of the spindle, will prevent the latter from becoming displaced axially of the boss. The horizontal length of the notch a! is sufiicient to allow the lever to move throughout its full swing within the limits of rotational movement of the spindle, between extreme steering positions thereof, and still remain within the notch.

Means is provided for connecting the rotatable steering shaft 2i and th various wheel spindles 3| whereby the latter will be moved rotatably in response to rotational movements of the steering shaft so as to swing the running wheels into such relationship that true and smooth steering movements of the vehicle will be obtained. Numerous arrangements may be employed for effecting mechanical connection between the steering shaft and wheel spindles for securing the aforesaid results, the principal requirement being the interconnection, either directly or indirectly, of pairs of the levers 58 disposed transversely of th vehicle so that the relatively confronting levers will be moved oppositely to obtain corresponding directions of rotation in one related pair of spindles and opposite corresponding directions of rotation in the other related pair of spindles, the end result being that the front and rear wheels on one side of the vehicle will be caused to lie substantially tangentially I with and roll along an inner curvilinear path of travel while the opposed wheels on the other side of the vehicle will follow a substantially parallel outer path of travel. I prefer to secure the aforesaid operative interconnection between the spindles by means of a leverage and linkage system so disposed that all of the spindles will instantly respond to initial rotary movements of the steering shaft 2!. As here shown I provide the rotor disk 23 with a plurality of pivot pins 59 arranged at positions radially offset with respect to the axis of the steering shaft 2| and connected for pivotal movement with one end of links 6! the opposite ends of the links being connected for pivotal movement with pivot pins 62 operatively connected with the distal ends of the spindle levers 58. The links Bl are so arranged that although the spindle levers 58, comprising a transversely opposed pair thereof, are swung oppositely relative to each other, the associated spindles will be moved in identical directions of rotation relative to each other with the result that the transversely opposed running wheels will be moved through positions wherein their transaxial planes are maintained in substantial parallelism and in substantial equal angularity with respect to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle. The same condition will obtain, but in a reverse degree, with respect to the other trans- Yersely opposed pair of wheels.

As above men-' fit tioned, a length of cord serving as a tow line may be attached to the distal end of the tow bar and the vehicle may be made to trail along behind the operator, any deviations of the latter from a linear path being substantially duplicated by the vehicle due to actuation of the steering mechanism by the swinging tow bar.

It will be noted that when the links 6| are detached from their operative connections with the spindle levers 58 the latter may be swung beyond their usual arc of travel until they are aligned with the vertical slots 56 whereupon the spindles maybe withdrawn axially from the journaling bores 28 the levers correspondingly moving along and out of the open lower ends'of the slots. Replacement or original attachment of the spindles may be effected in a reverse manner after which the wheel and its associated parts may be locked against detachment by establish ing the operative relationship between the links 6! and the levers 58.

Means is provided for lifting a load which the toy may be made to straddle and for holding the load in elevated position while the latter is being transported. Disposed adjacent the longitudinal sides of the platform l I are guide means here shown as axially vertical apertures 63 preferably core-molded or drilled through bosses 64 formed as integral parts of the platform and its side ribs 29, and arranged in opposed sets disposed in spad'ed relation in the fore and aft direction of the vehicle. Engaged for slidable movement with each set of guide means is a lift frame here shown as a U-shape'cl wire member the medial portion 66 of which extends horizontally across the upper surface of the platform II and the opposite end portions of which are bent to lie in positions normal to the medial portion and to form legs 61 which are substantially parallel with each other and which are further arranged to enter and operate slidably within the apertures 63. The lower extremities of the legs 61 are attached in any suitable manner, such as by spot-welding, to lifts which are constructed of sheet metal or other material and which are provided with substantially flat bottom flanges 68 and side flanges '69 rising from and along the outer longitudinal edges thereof. The lifts are so designed and positioned so that they may pass under and to the sides of a load-bearing pallet ll formed of sheet metal or as a casting of any suitable material and having lower rails 12 or their equivalent adapted to rest on the floor or other surface on which the vehicle may be operated. The rails 12 are for maintaining the pallet in suitable elevated position to be readily engaged by the lifts passed thereunder. Side flanges 13 are provided on the pallet for engaging and retaining thereon a loadof separate articles here" shown as a stack of wooden blocks 14. Instead of the lower rails 12 as shown, I may choose to employ primar elevating means for the pallet comprising protuberances of suitable form pressed downwardly from the main body H or, in. the cast type, molded thereinto.

Means is provided, operatively connected with the left frames for elevating the latter in unison relative to the vehicle so that the load engaged by the lifts will be raised above and to clear the surface underlying the vehicle. Various devices may be employed for accomplishing this but, as here shown, I provide a shaft 16, extending transversely of the platform ll, whiclr has its opposite end portions bent normally to the center portion to form arms Ila portion of" each of which is further bent to lie in spaced parallel relation to the shaft center portion to form radially disposed crank pins 18 underlying the medial portions 66 of the lift frames. A handle for moving the shaft rotatably may be conveniently provided in an integral angularly outwardly extending portion 19 of one of the crank pins 18. Journaling means for the shaft 16 may take one of several desirable forms but I prefer to provide adjacent opposite sides of the platform ll pairs of protuberances 8| relatively spaced to lie along diametrically opposite sides of the shaft so as to define pockets 8B and extending sufliciently high so as to retain the shaft against appreciable lateral displacement. As shown in Figure 3, the shaft 16 lies against the downwardly inwardly curved surface 82 of the portion of the platform defining the operators seat M, the said curved surface 82 being so related to the protuberances 8| that during the operation of seating the shaft in the pockets 80 the shaft must be slid downwardly along the surface 82 to a position just above the pockets and must then be slightly flexed in the center portion thereof outwardly away from the seat 83 thus permitting the end portions of the shaft to enter the pockets. Upon release of the flexing pressure imposed on the shaft, the latter will return to a straight condition and the slightly overlying portions of the surfaces 82 will thereafter retain the shaft in the pockets but will allow free rotation of the shaft. One of each pair of opposed protuberances BI is extended vertically to form a stop abutment 84 paralleling the shaft and is further extended at right angles along the outer surface of the arm Tl to form an abutment 86. Thus the abutments BB lying at the respective ends of the shaft will confine the latter against appreciable movement axially while the abutments 84 will serve as stops to limit the upward swing of the arms H as the shaft 16 is moved rotatably. The action, when the shaft 16 is rotated is to cause the crank pins 18 to raise the lift frames and to similarly elevate the pallet or other load which may be engaged by the lifts. The proportions are such that the arms 11 will move from their initial position, lying substantially parallel with the platform II, through an are slightly exceeding ninety degrees before they come to rest against the stop abutments 84. Thus the lift frames will be held in elevated position until the handle I9 is manually moved to return the arms to their initial position whereupon the lift frames and the load borne thereby will lowered so as to permit release of the lifts from the pallet and movement of the vehicle away from the load.

In Figure '7 I have shown means whereby a rigid control element may be readily detachably secured to the toy for the purpose of pushing the latter along a ground surface and for simultaneously guiding the toy through the medium of its steering mechanism. It will be seen that the steering wheel 22 is provided with at least two diametrically opposed radially elongated apertures 81 adapted to receive a pair of fingers 88 carried by a hub 89 attached to one end of a preferably Wooden rod 9| which is of sufficient length to be comfortably grasped by the hand of the person operating the toy, the person of course being in a standing position. It will be noted that the fingers 88 are formed as opposed circular arcs having a common center substantially coinciding, when the steering rod is attached to the vehicle, with the center of mass of the steering wheel proper. The proportions are such that the narrowest distance between the extremities of the fingers is only slightly greater than the shortest diametrical distance between the apertures 81 so that the fingers may be readily inserted in or removed from the apertures and yet will effect retention of engagement with the steering wheel of the control rod during the usual steering movements imposed by the user on the rod. When engaged, it will be seen that the rod may be raised or lowered as desired by movements of the operators hand and this will effect a corresponding entry into or withdrawal from the apertures of the fingers at the same time maintaining engagement between the fingers and apertures thus producing a knuckle joint connection between the control rod and the steering wheel. It will be further seen that if the control rod is manually rotated in either direction about its longitudinal axis, the fingers will be moved in a circular orbit centrally coinciding with the latter axis thus imparting a corresponding rotary movement to the steering wheel in actuating the steering mechanism.

From the preceding description of my invention it will be seen that, in the type of toy described, provision has been made in comparatively simple form for substantially duplicating the various operational capabilities of the actual commercial counterpart of the toy without departing to a great extent from the actual proportions or outward appearance of the corresponding parts.

The toy of my invention lends itself well to die-molded construction and may be composed of any of the moldable plastics or of metal. It will also be apparent to those skilled in the art that many of the parts shown as castings in the drawing may be produced of die-pressed metal without departing from the spirit of the invention.

I claim:

1. A mobile toy comprising a body including a platform having axially vertical spindle journals depending therefrom and arranged adjacent respective corners thereof, opposed pairs of spindles arranged for rotary movement in said journals and carrying ground-engaging wheels, said spindles and their associated wheels being relatively spaced to straddle a carrier member on which a load of material may be supported, arms carried by and extending radially from said spindles intermediate the ends of said journals and engaging portions of said body for retaining said spindles in engagement with the spindle journals, manually operable steering mechanism including link members pivotally engaged with and interconnecting pairs of said arms for moving the ground-engaging Wheels in unison through selected positions tangentially related to a curvilinear path of travel of said toy, spaced lift members carried by said body for engaging said carrier member, and manually operable means for moving said lift members to lift and hold the latter in elevated position during movements of said toy along said path of travel.

2. A mobile toy comprising a body including a platform having axially vertical spindle journals arranged adjacent respective corners thereof, said spindle journals including elongated horizontally extending slots, opposed pairs of spindles arranged for rotary movement in said journals and carrying ground-engaging wheels, said" spindles and their associatedwheels being relatively spaced to straddle a carrier member on which a load of material may be supported, arms carried by said spindles and disposed in said slots for retaining said spindles against axial displacement relative to the spindle journals and limiting rotation of said spindle in the journals, manually operable steering mechanism including link members pivotally engaged with and interconnecting pairs of said arms for moving the ground-engaging wheels in unison through selected positions tangentially related to a curvilinear path of travel of said toy, spaced lift members carried by said body for engaging said carrier member, and manually operable means for moving said lift members to lift and hold the latter in elevated position during movements of said toy along said path of travel. I

3. A mobile toy comprising a body including a platform having axially Vertical spindle jour-- nals arranged adjacent respective corners thereof, opposed pairs of spindles arranged for rotary movement in said journals and carrying groundengaging wheels, said spindles and their associated. wheels being relatively spaced to straddle a carrier member on which a load of material may be supported, arms carried by and extend-.

ing radially from said spindles intermediate the ends of said journals and engaging portions of said body for retaining said spindles in engage ment with the spindle journals, a steering shaft having a rotor operatively connected therewith mounted for rotation on said body, steering mechanism including link members engaged pivotally with said rotor and with a pair of said arms for moving the ground-engaging wheels in unison through selected positions tangentially related to a curvilinear path of travel of said toy, spaced lift members carried by said body for engaging said carrier member, and manually operable means for moving said lift members to lift and hold the latter in elevated position during movements of said toy along said path of travel.

4. A mobile toy comprising a body including a platform having axially vertical spindle journals arranged adjacent respective corners thereof, opposed pairs of spindles arranged for rotary movement in said journals and carrying groundengaging wheels, said spindles and their associated wheels being relatively spaced to straddle a carrier member on which a load of material may be supported, arms carried by and extending radially from said spindles and engaging por tions of said body for retaining said spindles in engagement with the sp ndle journals, manually operable steering mechanism including lin members substantially immediately be ow said platform pivotallv engaged with and interconnecting pairs of said arms for moving the ground engaging wheels in unison through selected positions tangentially related to a curvilinear path of travel of said toy, spaced vertically extending guides in said body, lift frames slidably engagedin said guides for engaging said carrier member, and manually operable means for moving said lift members to lift and hold the latter in elevated position during movements of said toy along said path of travel.

5. A mobile toy comprising a body includin a platform having axially vertical spindle journals arranged adjacent respective corners thereof. said spindle journals including elongate-d horizontally extending slots intermediate the ends thereof, opposed pairs of spindles arranged for rotary. movement in said journals-and carrying ground-engaging wheels; said spindles and their associated wheels being relatively spaced to straddle a carrier member on which a load of material may be supported, arms carried by and extending radially from said spindles and engaged in said slots for retaining the spindles against axial detachment from said body, pairs of said arms arranged transverselyof said body being in relatively confronting relation, steering mechanism on said body including a rotatable steering shaft havinga rotor operatively connected-therewith, said rotor having a pair of di-- ametrically opposed pivot pins thereon, and means interengaging' opposed pairs of wheels and the rotor pivot pins for connecting relatively con-- fronting arms to be moved oppositely upon rota-'- tional movement .of said steering shaft and for moving said wheels, in unison into selected positions tangentially related to a curvilinear path of travel along which said-toy may be moved.

6. A toy comprising a body having an elevated platform, a rotatable steering shaft jour'naled in said body and having'a rotor operatively con nected therewith, spindle journals formed on said platform, ground-engaging wheels includingspindles engaged in said spindle journals whereby said wheels are rotatable about verticalaxes,-

said spindles in one-position of rotation thereof being readily releasable from'said journals and in. other positions of rotation thereof being secured against release from saidjournals, arms connected with and extending from said spindles, means interconnecting said arms for move-' ment in unison upon movement of said steering shaft and including links pivotally engaging said rotor and selected ones of said arms, spaced lift frames guided for vertical movement on said body and relatively spaced to straddle a load to be lifted, means connecting said rotor with the respective spindles for moving the latter in unison as the steering shaft is rotated so as to posi tion said wheels substantially tangentially with a-curvilinear path along which said toy may be moved, and manually operable means connected with and to move said lift frames 50 as to lift the load engaged by the lift frames.

7. A toy comprising a body having an elevated platform, a rotatable steering shaft journaled in said body and having a rotor operatively connected therewith, spindle journals formed on said platform, ground-engaging wheels including spindles engaged in said spindle journals whereby said wheels are rotatable about vertical axes,-

arms connected with -and extending radially from said spindles, means in said journals en-' gaged by said arms whereby in one position-pf rotation of the spindles the latter may be readily released from the journals and in other positions of rotation thereof the spindles are secured against release from the journals, means interconnecting said arms for movement in unison upon movement of said steering shaft and including links pivotally engaging said rotor and selected ones of said arms, spaced lift frames guided for vertical movement on said body and relatively spaced to. straddle a load to be lifted, means connecting said rotorwith the respective spindles for moving the latter in unison as the steering shaft'is rotated so as to position said wheels substantially"tangentially with 'acurvilinear path along which said toy may be moved, and manually operable means connected with and to move said lift frames so as to lift the load engaged by the lift frames.

11 8. A toy comprising a body having an elevated platform, a rotatable steering shaft journaled in said body and having a rotor operatively connected therewith, spindle journals formed on said platform and having horizontally disposed e1on-' gated slots associated therewith, ground-engaging wheels including spindles engaged in said spindle journals whereby said wheels are rotatable about vertical axes, arms connected with and extending radially from said spindles, said arms being engaged in said elongated slots whereby said spindles are confined in positions of rotation of thespindles against detachment from said journal's, means interconnecting said arms for movement in unison upon movement of said steering shaft and including links pivotally engaging said rotor and selected ones of said arms, spaced lift frames guided for vertical movement on said body and relatively spaced to straddle a load to be lifted, means connecting said rotor with the respective pindles for moving the latter in-unison as the steering shaft is rotated so as to position said wheels substantially tangentially with a curvilinear path along which said toy may be moved, and manually operable means connected with and to move said lift frames so as to lift the load engaged by the lift frames.

9. A toy comprising a body havingan elevated platform provided with a transversely extending rocker shaft journaled therein, a steering shaft journaled in said platform and having a rotor operatively connected therewith and an integral tow bar extending beyond an end of said platform, axially vertical journals adjacent the respective corners of said platform, spindles arranged for rotary movement in said journals and carrying rotatable ground-engaging wheels, said spindles in one position of rotary movement thereof being readily detachable from said platform and in other positions of rotary movement thereof being secured against detachment from the platform, levers on and extending from said spindles, means connecting the respective levers and said rotor whereby the said wheels will be moved in unison upon rotary movement of said steering shaft and tow bar, spaced lift frames engaged with and vertically guided in said body, and members carried by said rocker shaft and engaged with said lift frames whereby thelatter may be raised or lowered vertically upon rotary movement of the rocker shaft.

10. A toy comprising a body having an elevated platform provided with a transversely extending rocker shaft journaled therein, a steering shaft journaled in said platform and having a rotor operatively connected therewith and an integral tow bar extending beyond an end of said platform, axially vertical bosses formed on said body adjacent the respective corners of said platform, said bosses having therein recesses providing journals and being further provided with axially extending slots and with notches forming angular extensions of said slots and disposed transaxially of and communicating with the journal recesses, spindles arranged for rotary movement in said journals and carrying rotatable groundengaging wheels, levers on and extending from said spindles, said levers being movable along said notches upon insertion of said spindles into said journal recesses and being engageable in said notches upon rotary movement of the spindles to thereafter secure the spindles against axial detachment from the journal recesses, means connecting the respective levers and said rotor whereby said wheels will be moved in unison upon rotary movement of said steering shaft and tow bar, spaced lift frames engaged with and vertically guided in said body, and members carried by said rocker shaft and engaged with said lift frames whereby the latter may be raised or lowered vertically upon rotary movement of the rocker shaft.

11. A toy comprising a body having an elevated platform provided with a transversely extending rocker shaft journaled therein, a steering shaft journaled in said platform and having a rotor operatively connected therewith and an integral tow bar extending beyond an end of said platform, axially vertical journals adjacent the respective corners of said platform, spindles arranged for rotary movement in said journals and having wheel carriers at one end thereof, axles mounted on and extending from said wheel carriers, said axles each having therein a longitudinally extending slot intersected by a transaxially disposed notch, a sleeve slidably engageable with said axle and having a spring-pressed tab engageable in said notch to lock said sleeve on'the axle, a wheel journaled on said sleeve, a key insertible in said slot to engage said tab and to release said sleeve from said axle, means connecting said wheel carriers with said rotor whereby said wheel carriers will be moved in unison upon movement of the steering shaft and tow bar relative to said body, lift frames engaged with and vertically guided in said body, said lift frames being relatively spaced so as to straddle a load to be lifted, and members carried by said rocker shaft and engageable with lift frames whereby the latter and the load engaged thereby will be raised or lowered vertically upon rotary movement of said rocker shaft.

12. In a toy vehicle, in combination, a plurality of steerable ground-engaging Wheels, steering mechanism including a normally manually operable steering wheel operatively connected with said ground-engaging wheels to simultaneously steer the latter, an extended rotatable control rod having an end portion to be grasped by a hand of the operator of said vehicle, and means carried respectively by the other end of said con trol rod and by said steering wheel relatively engageable to establish a knuckle joint drive connection therebetween whereby said control rod may be freely moved angularly with respect to the steering wheel and whereby rotary movements imparted to the control rod by the hand of the operator will be transmitted to the steering wheel to actuate said steering mechanism.

THOMAS K. HILLARD.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record. in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

